Hong Kong's top health official announced here Wednesday night that all primary schools, special schools and kindergartens in the city will close for two weeks starting from Thursday, due to seasonal flu outbreaks.

Dr. York Chow, secretary for Food and Health of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government made the announcement after the Department of Health and the Bureau of Education met Wednesday night to review the data of the flu and the response of parents.

"We made the decision given the rising trend of flu infections within the community as the flu peak is expected to continue for weeks," Chow told reporters.

"We hope such precautionary measures will help reduce the cross infection of the flu virus in schools and the community."

(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2008)